Grallaria Urraoensis

Is the credibility of ProAves and ABC damaged?

In a recently published letter by The Condor editor it is revealed that a referee on the editorial board for the ProAves magazine Conservacion Colombiana acted unethically and manoeuvred to trick the Condor out of considering Diego Caranton’s manuscript for the new Antpitta in NW Colombia. Is the credibility of ProAves and in extension ABC damaged? Time for some damage control?

One bird – two names. Bitter feud in the Colombian ornithology/bird conservation scene.

Last May, the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and its partner in Colombia, Fundación ProAves, announced the discovery of a new species of Neotropical bird. ABC touted the feat as “remarkable” for being one of the first times a new species had been scientifically described from an individual captured, measured, photographed, and then released. For George Fenwick, head of ABC, it was a proud moment: The bird, Fenwick’s antpitta (Grallaria fenwickorum), was named in honor of his family.